Review of NHL 08

It's video gaming's worst kept secret that EA has made piles of cash by skating by (pun intended) on the former reputations of their various game franchises.EA's NHL series was the first game to really give you the feel of real NHL hockey on a console, and ever since it's been hit or miss (since PS2 it's been mostly miss, just ask the folks at 2K Games.)What most people have had issues with in the last half-dozen iterations has been the ultra-arcade-like gameplay: hitting turbo at all times, lining up huge checks that send opponents sprawling, goalies that often made little or no consistent sense.Well, here we are and a lot of these issues have finally been addressed... whether you like the outcome or not.

So let's get down to it, what's new?Well first off, Turbo is out the window, so don't bother looking for the Turbo button.Speed is based purely on momentum, which sure simulates real hockey a lot better than jamming on a button the whole game.Second: there is no check button, you now check with the right analog stick.And even when you do execute a check, sometimes you'll be hard pressed to notice a difference.A far cry from just pounding the Triangle button and sending whomever sprawling across the ice.Poke checking is now done (poorly) with a combination of the right analog stick and R1.So instead of a jabbing stick motion, you get this odd, floaty, zombie-esque move that really doesn't end up resembling anything like a poke-check as we knew it.And to back up a previous reviewer's comment: you are correct, nowhere in the book does it state how to win a face-off, but to do so you have to use the right analog stick, wait until the puck drops, then flick it quickly towards one of your players, then you'll win some face-offs.Pretty realistic, eh?Well, yes... and that's what's going to frustrate a LOT of people.

You see, despite all of the perennial belly-aching about NHL not being "real enough" now that it is starting to lean towards more realism it is a much more difficult game, sometimes bordering on anger-inducing.Take, for example, the simple act of shooting.What once was confined to a wrist-shot button and slapshot button is now an exercise in analog stick timing.So you're speeding down the ice in the 2nd period (towards the bottom of your TV screen), you are pressing down on the left analog-stick & in order to take a slapshot you push the right analog-stick up (this swings your stick back) then bring the right analog-stick forward while at the same time aiming the shot with the left analog-stick (that also governs the direction you are skating).If it sounds difficult to do, it kinda is, and message boards are filled with angry rants from gamers who just can't "get it" well enough to be adept at scoring.Though you will be happy to know that passing is a simple press of R2, that much hasn't changed.And for wrist-shots, just a quick flick forward on the right-analog-stick will execute a wrister, but go too far to either side and your skater will promptly stick handle the puck to that side, because both actions are mapped to the same analog-stick (just like skating & aiming your shot on the Left.)

So it is a little tougher to be truly "good" at the game, and the CPU AI is also much-improved.Defenses will adapt to your play-style (they actually will, no baloney, play and see) and on offense they will prove a challenge even on the Medium Pro level.Few things are as demoralizing as playing a home-game and hearing the crowd boo louder & louder as your defense is powerless to get the puck off of a wheeling & dealing offense in your defensive zone.

Presentation-wise, it's mostly aces.Bill Clement & Gary Thorne are possibly the best sports video-game announcing crew in the industry (up there with Nessler/Corso/Herbstreit in NCAA, and Vasgersian/Campbell/Hudler in MLB) but the one thing that is missing is the usual cut-scene treatment where they fawn over a certain player, telling you all about his attributes & how he plays the game.The lack of it really does stand out & makes the game a little less engaging as a result.But on the plus-side their commentary will actually respond to how well/poorly you are playing the game.Need strategy help?Listen to what they say about your team.And one more niggling presentation bug: once the whistle stops, it's best not to touch any buttons because if you do and there is any sort of penalty being called, or player info being displayed, it will treat it immediately like a Skip command and the info will flash in a millisecond and disappear.Kinda annoying, play it once and you'll understand what i mean.

So the haters finally have the closest thing to a sim-revolution that EA is ever likely to give them, and reading the reviews will show you that not everyone is pleased.Guess it goes back to the old adage: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

p.s.
As a disclaimer, i should add that there is indeed an option to use "Classic Style" controls, meaning using face-buttons for shots, etc. etc. etc. though i feel that using this control scheme basically negates most if not all of the features that move the series forward.But, if you do find the new control schemes overwhelming, there is the Classic button setup option for you.

p.p.s.
Yes, the reviews are right, NHL 08 blows the doors off of NHL 2K8, which is very odd, given that such an occurrence hasn't happened in video-game land in years.Proper credit to EA where it is due.










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